Fence wire retaining insulating device



Jan. 30, 1962 J. F. ADAMSON FENCE WIRE RETAINING INSULATING DEVICE FiledApril 23, 1959 INVENTO J4 c/(E 40401.90 3Y6; 2

flrmkys s I N\ mm//////////////////////// United States Patent 3,019,288FENCE WIRE RETAINING INSULATING DEVICE Jack F. Adamson, Eyota, Minn.Filed Apr. 23, 1959,-Ser.-No. 808,516 1 Claim. (Cl. 174-158) Thisinvention relates to a retainer in connection with a fence post forsupporting a strand of fence wire particularly adapted for use 'inconnection with forming an electrically charged fence.

It is desirable to have such a device for mounting "on fence postswherein all of such devices to be used may be mounted in one operationand the fence wire to be retained therein be laid out along the line ofsaid posts and then very readily be positioned to be supported andretained in said devices in one continuous operation. Many devicescommonly used, such as porcelain insulators have coupling portions andthese require that the wire be secured independently to each device aswith a nail or a screw, or that there be sufficient slack in the wire sothat portions of the wire may be turned at an angle to the direction ofthe wire so that said portions can be slipped into clips or rings. It isdesirable'to have such a device wherein thewire may be in a tautcondition and be placed directly into the retainers without any bendingor twisting of the wire and whereby the Wire may be removed from anysingle retaining device for replacement of the retainer withoutinterference 'such as would be caused by a need for loosening the wireas a whole. 7

It is an object of this invention therefore to provide a devicecomprising a support and retainer for an electrically charged fence wirewherein said device has an open-ended portion into which a wireextending in a direction at right angles to the plane of the retainermay be'placed directly into the retainer without any twisting, bendingor angling thereof with a closure member adapted to be readilypositionedfor retaining the wire therein.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device adapted to bereadily secured to a fence post and having an open-ended substantiallyU-shaped insulated -.tric fence, said device comprising a length ofsuitable wire being reversely bent to form a closed end portion andspaced sides, said closed end portion being reversely bent to form anopen-ended U-shaped portion having its sides formed of doubled portionsof said wire and having aligned loops formed at the free ends of saidU-shaped .jportion whereby a strand "of wire may be positioned in saiddevice by being moved directly thereint'o, and a closure member adaptedto be disposed through said loops for retaining said wire. 1

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fullyset forth in the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in elevation on a reduced scale showingapplicants device in operating position and a portion thereof in dottedline in inoperative position;

FIG. 2 is a view on an enlarged scale partially in vertical section andpartially in side elevation taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 as indicated bythe arrows, with a through the loop 14 3,019,288 Patented Jan. 30, 1962ice 44 of FIG. 2 as indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a view inside elevation similar to FIG. 2 showing amodification of a portion thereof;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing a portion thereof indifferent positions; and

FIG. 7 is a view in perspective on an enlarged scale showing 'a portionof a fence post and a modification of applicants device mounted thereonin operating position.

. With reference to the drawing, like reference characters will be usedto indicate identical parts throughout the several views. Referring toFIG. 1, applicants device 10 is shown generally on a reduced scale inoperating position on fence posts 11 and having supported and retainedtherein a fence wire 12. Said wire will be adapted to conduct anelectrical current in forming an electrical fence. Said wire 12 is shownin dotted line as '12 .to

' indicate its position on the ground prior to being placed in operatingposition.

With reference to FIGS. 2-4, one form of applicants device isshownwherein applicants device 10 comprises a length of wire 14 ofsuitable dimension and rigidity. Said wire 14 will be reversely bent toform a closed end portion 14:; and have parallel sides 14b and 140. Saidclosed end portion is reversely bent to form an openended 'U-shapedportion 14d with loops Me and '14) formed at the free ends of saidU-sha'ped portion 14d.

Said sides 14b and 14c are here shown to be parallel and are indicatedas being disposed in a common vertical plane. The free end portions 14gand 1411 of said wire 14 will be bent in the plane of said sides indirections away from one another. Loops 14k and 14m will be formed inthe free ends of said portions 143 and 14h. Disposed through said loops14k and 14m are fastening means 16 here indicated as being in the formof nails. The open-ended U-shaped portion 14d and the portions of thesides 14b and 14c adjacent thereto will be coated with an insulatingmaterial 14w, such as of a rubber or plasticmaterial, which may beformed on said wire 14 by a dipping or spraying process.

Pivotally secured to the loop 14a is a closure member 17 comprising areversely bent length of wire having an elongated loop 17a. formedtherein and having its lower end portion 17b secured together to closesaid loop and form a stem which is here indicated as having been formedby twisting together the free ends of said-member 17. Said loop 1711will be of sufficient length top'e'rmit the stem portion 17b to beraised above and disposed In operation, when it is desired to install alength of fence wire 12 for forming an electrical fence, and after theposts 11 have been installed, applicants supporting and retaining device10 will be secured in operating position on each of said posts by asuitable fastening means. The wire 12 will be strung along at the footof the posts 11 and may be stretched tight at thistirne. All that isrequired of the operator then is to quickly lift the wire into theopenended U-shaped portions 14d with the'closure member 17 having beenreadily held out of the way. Said closure member is quickly placed inoperating position by simply lifting the stem portion 17b and droppingit through the loop 14].

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, a modification of the closure portion17 of applicants device is shown. In place of the closure member 17having an elongated loop and stem portion, a closure member 20 isindicated formed of a suitable length of wire having a coating 21 ofinsulating material thereon and being reversely bent to have adjacentside by side portions forming a stem portion ;sides 26b and 260. bent toform an open-ended U-shaped portion 26d having 3 9 20a. The lower ends20b of said side by side portions are shown extending below theinsulating material 21 and are here reversely bent to form closed loops.The upper ,closed end portion of said member 20 is extended through theloop 14a and reversely bent therethrough to form a loop 200 in pivotalengagement with said loop 14a.

Said member 20 is easily pivoted in a swinging movement as indicated indotted line in FIG. 6. The lower portion of said member 20 is movedbetween the lower side of said U-shaped portion 14d and the side portion14c and is moved forwardly therebetween to be disposed or positioned inthe loop 14 in its closure position.

member 25 is indicated comprising a length of wire 26.

Said strand of wire 26 is formed by being reversely bent to have aclosed end portion 26a and spaced parallel Said closed end portion isreversely loops 26c and 26 formed at its free ends. Said U-shapedportion 26d and the portions of sides 26b and 26c adjacent thereto willbe coated, as by spraying or dipping with a suitable insulating material27. The free ends 26g. and 2611 to the rear of the U-shaped portion 26dApplicants device 25 is having a fiat central portion 29a withtransversely extending band portions 2% and 290 at either end of saidcentral portion and reversely bent to overlie and hold secure theportions 26k and 26m of said member 25. The outer end portions of saidmember 29 are reversely bent'to form loops 290 and 29p and also areprovided with apertures 29r.

Indicated in FIG. 7 is an angular post 32. Said member 29 is shownsecured to said post 32 by wires 34 extending through said loops 290 and29p and being wound about said post 32.

A right-angled pin 36 is disposed through said loops 26c and 261 to forma closure member. Said member 36 is here shown formed having a shortangled head portion 36a and an elongated depending leg portion 36b .withsaid portion 3612 being disposed through said loops 26c and 26 Said pin36 will be coated with said insulating material 27.

In operation, applicants device 25 will be secured to .a post 32 bysuitable means, as by the use of wires 34 and 26; to enclose the openend of said portion 26d. Thus of the wire 26 are bent at angles awayfrom one another ,in the plane of said U-shaped portion 26d. Said bentportions 26g and 26h have their free ends 26k and 26m ,bent to be in avertical plane.

:here shown secured onto a plate member 29 indicated .as being formed ofan elongated strip of sheet material wire 12 is very quickly andeificiently mounted in its final operating position.

The essential advantages present in the applicants supporting andretaining members are that all of these retainers can be mounted alongthe line of a fence, and the wire to be electrified can be strung outalong the line of the fence and be tightened in position. No slack isrequired in the wire for mounting it in applicants members. The wire issimply raised and moved into the retaining portion of applicants membersand then is locked therein very readily, as indicated above. If any postis damaged or if any retainer is broken, a replacement may be made veryreadily without disturbing the rest of the fence. The wire need not beloosened to remove or replace a post or one of applicants devices. Noslack is necessary in the wire 12 to remove the same from a retainingmember. This is a substantial advantage in the use of the applicantsdevice.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a very simply made supportingand retaining member for a wire to be electrified in forming an electricfence.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in theform,'details, arrangement and proportions of the device and in thesteps and sequence of steps of the method without departing from thescope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in amethod and device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth,such as disclosed and defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In connection with a fence wire to be charged with electricity and apost for forming an electric fence, a retainer for said fence wirecomprising a length of wire reversely bent to have spaced parallel sideshaving a closed end portion at one end portion of said retainer and freeend portions at the other end portion of said retainer, said closed endportion and adjacent parallel side portions being reversely bent to forma U-shaped portion having an open outer end, vertically aligned loopsformed at the outer ends of said reversely bent parallel side portionswith said parallel sides and the legs of said U-shaped portion beingclosely adjacent one another, an elongated plate member, said parallelsides of said wire at the other end portion of said retainer beingsecured to said plate member, means in connection with said plate memberfor fastening the same to said post, a closure member removably disposedthrough said aligned loops, and an insulating coating about saidretainer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS314,785 Bissell Mar. 31, 1885 1,981,673 Smith Nov. 20, 1934 2,133,550Little Oct. 18, 1938 2,261,511 Baker et a1. Nov. 4, 1941 2,575,115 Linke-5 Nov. 13, 1951 2,747,619 Buttner May 29, 1956 2,791,625 Swanson May 7,1957 2,801,277 Numsen July 30, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 7,648 Great Britain1905

